Project 1924
by Precious Subordinate
Summary: When Milo suffers from an illness unseen to the Atlantean people, Kida takes it upon herself to find answers in the surface world. Meanwhile, a war-ravaged city in the midst of rebuilding may be the perfect place to start. -Read the Author's Note, please-
1. Come Home To Me

Kida kept her distance at first. It was obvious by her husband's sudden refusal to be near her that something had changed in his mind. She queried with his normal guards, but they never betrayed so much as an inkling of an answer. Had he grown tired of her? Milo was not hard to figure out, she had many years to discover his thoughts and how his mind worked, so the sudden action startled her. He would not come to bed, he would not come to dinner, he would not even as much as look at her. He would sit in his library, hunched over scrolls and books, and ignore her all day long.

This behavior angered her. She was a queen and she _always_ got what she wanted. But for him to ignore her was of great concern. Her mind reeled with possible answers as to why. He had mentioned on multiple occasions that he wanted to go home, to the surface world, which led her to believe that after ten years of being with her, he had grown to love someone else. That was not fair to her, because she would _never_ love someone as much as she loved him, and this much she had been sure of since the first day they met.

And now she strode with purpose through the marbled halls of the kingdom, looking for her lover to confront him. She had many things to say to him; most in her language. If he was indeed falling out of love with her, she had far too many words for him, and none of them were of the _kind_ variety. She came to a stop by the door to the library, seeing a light flickering against the wall. Her blue eyes scanned for her husband and finally landed on the lanky man carrying a stack of books toward his desk. He _seemed_ okay.

"Milo!"

Startled, the books fell to the floor and he scrambled to pick them up. "Ki-Kida." He carefully started to stack the books, making sure to take a precarious amount of time that they were still in the order he chose them in. His honey brown eyes looked to his wife and a frown crossed his features. That look was not that of a woman who was simply looking to pass time. She was on a mission. The only time he had _ever_ seen that look, in ten years, was with Rourk. His beloved wife viewed him as Rourk. A pang of fear struck his heart and he quickly adjusted his glasses, deserting the books. "Kida…"

Arms folded at her chest, she threw her hip out in a curve like she tended to do in that sassy way. Her platinum hair swayed with each movement and the snarl that escaped her parted lips made him jump. "You have effectively avoided me for two weeks now, Milo! Do you grow ill of my presence?"

Though he couldn't deny her temper often intimidated him, he took a hesitant step back. There was ample room between him and the door where she had taken up her perch, but he wasn't moving forward – towards her – he was moving away from her. A hesitant sound escaped his lips and he dragged his hand through his mess of hair. "It's not you, Kida, it's me."

"That is what I _just_ _said_!" She replied in anger. "You have grown ill of me!"

"No!" Milo corrected quickly, flailing his arms about in front of him. "No, it's…it's not that. I…have grown ill, but not of you. Just that, simply… _ill._ "

"What do you mean by _just that_?" She inquired, arms falling to her side. She moved to talk to him but he took another step back, ignoring her presence. Brown eyes fell to the floor and he shook his head. "Milo, why do you not let me near you?"

"I'm contagious, Kida. If I come near you, I could kill your entire civilization. I can't do that to you." This time, he looked up at her with worry in his eyes. "Please forgive me, I do love you, I just didn't know how to tell you."

"What does this word mean? _Contagious_ – what does it mean?" She had never used it in context before; it had never been one that crossed the lips of her people because the crystal kept everyone alive and healed them. The word felt salty on her tongue. Was he planning to eradicate her species? No, he had said _I can't do that to you_ , which implied he was fearful of whatever was happening. "Milo…"

"It means I'm severely ill, and I can spread it very easily to your people if we aren't careful. I thought…since only the elders and leaders had access to this room, it might be best to hide away somewhere it can't be spread as easily." Quiet contemplation passed his eyes as he watched his wife's expression change from that of snarling anger, to sympathy. She moved to come forward again, and he held up his hands. "No! Kida…please just trust me, you can't come near me."

"Milo, there is nothing you can possess that our crystal and the Gods cannot heal. Please, let me look at you." In all honesty, she missed his touch, and wondered if she would ever feel it again. He spoke as if he was dying, and the idea brought turmoil to her mind. His cough brought her back to her senses. He moved quickly and efficiently, covering his mouth with a piece of cloth that was tinged red from prolonged use. He continued coughing, starting to wheeze. At first, she didn't know what to do and just stood in shock. No man had ever been sick in Atlantis before.

His small frame had grown more emaciated, something she had just now noticed. He moved with a tremble, his body growing weak with each hack. They shook his whole body, rattling his teeth. He fell to his knees, dropping his hands to his sides, still holding the cloth close to his body. With little reaction and protest, he allowed Kida to take the cloth from his hand and examine it. They were married, and he had been sick for some time, it was probably more likely she already had his infection. It was already at least 25% likely she was infected.

Kida knelt beside him, her hands gently touching his shoulders. She reached out an unsteady palm to take the cloth and examine it. "Milo…this is blood."

"Yes," He began very quietly. His voice ached, he didn't want to speak, but she wanted answers. He looked to her with fear in his eyes, and that solidified it for her. She was going to help him. "Kida, if I'm right about what I have…"

She touched his hand, shaking her head. "You will not die, Milo. The Gods would not take you away from me so soon." A small, sympathetic smile tinged at the corner of her lips, but he wasn't making any reaction. His eyes continued to stare at her, unmoving. He was studying her; memorizing her grace in this moment. "Milo, get some rest."

"Kida, your people-"

"-will be fine." She continued, cutting him off. "The Gods would not allow for anything to befall us. It is their job to protect us, remember, Milo? Do not be afraid." Putting a hand under his arm, she slowly rose to her feet. He wavered against her body, and she kept a tight grip on him as if a soldier wounded in battle. "We will not worry the men with such trivial things, Milo."

He nodded weakly and started coughing again. Grabbing the cloth from her hand, he put it to his mouth and closed his eyes. He couldn't risk making her sick; this disease could very well wipe out her entire culture. He had already been single-handedly responsible for the death of her father; he couldn't kill her culture as well. Not after all the work they had done to preserve it. "Kida," She looked to him, hearing his weak protests. He went to speak, but all he managed to say was "I-" before his entire world faded to darkness.

When he awoke again, Kida was sitting beside the bed, her hand resting against his cheek. He could feel the cool sweat dripping down his face, his glasses were gone. Everything was just a blur by now. He had gone through all this trouble to protect her, and her stubbornness wouldn't let him. He groaned and tried to sit up, but she kept a firm hand against his chest.

"Please stay resting, Milo."

"Kida, I – " He sighed and looked down at the sheets covering his nearly-naked form. He must have had a fever, and she felt this was the best way to help him through it. The damp cloth against his forehead felt welcoming, and he quickly reached out to wrap his hand around her wrist. "I may not get a chance to say it again."

"You will have plenty of chances to lecture me, Milo. Do not concern yourself with your wellbeing. We have sent for a shaman to look at you." Her hand calmly wiped the sweat from his brow. "You will be okay, Milo. The shaman will heal you."

His grip on her wrist tightened. "A shaman can't _cure me_ , Kida. Your crystals can't cure me. The Gods don't have mercy and I'm _dying._ "

Her hand ceased its movement, she slithered it away from his grip and dropped it into her lap. "I know." The words were hollow, as if she had died inside. She had watched her father die, and now she was watching her beloved pass before her eyes. The crystal was doing nothing more than keeping him alive, but he was in pain – constant pain. "I know, Milo."

"Kida," Milo sat up, his hand reaching out to touch hers again but she pulled away. "Kida, please, if this has been dormant the whole time I was here, how many other people did I infect?"

"Milo, you have chastised our Gods and they are unhappy with you. They are punishing you!"

In his heart, he wanted to say that there was no such thing as Gods, but he'd witnessed firsthand how wrong he would be in that assumption. His voice was just barely above a whisper, equated to a squeak of a mouse. "Kidagakash, I was sick the moment I walked into Atlantis. It's not your Gods punishing me, it's mine. I spent so long trying to find this place, to…witness it, that I failed to realize just how precarious my situation was. And now your entire race has to suffer."

"We are not _suffering_ , we are _thriving_ , and we are doing so _because of you_. Your Gods surely must realize that!" She turned to him, her hand reaching to touch his face again. "Milo, if your Gods are as forgiving as you have said many times before…surely they must know how important you are to my people. How important you are to _me_."

He clutched at the blanket over his body, shaking his head. "That's the thing about deities. They don't always have a plan we can see." He gave a small smile, savoring the feeling of her touch. He had missed it when he was isolating himself from her world. Her touch always calmed his mind and eased his weary spirit. "Your Gods are keeping me alive, but why? I should have died years ago."

"Years ago?" Her question took him off guard. "Milo, you have been in pain all this time and did not say?"

Brown eyes looked to the side of the bed, ignoring her question. He _had_ been in pain for the better part of six years, but it only started to grow worse in recent months. It had been tolerable before, now it was excruciating every time he talked or took a breath. He couldn't worry her, she had a job to do, and so did he. She would lead her people and he would teach. That was their dynamic. "It is no worse than your father, Kida. He had been dying the whole time, but the crystal was keeping him alive – in a tolerable state so he could do what needed to be done. Atlantis _needs_ a ruler. It doesn't matter who it is."

Her aqua eyes grew wide, her torso turning sharply to look at him. "I will go to the surface, it has been decided."

Honey colored eyes also widened at her sudden revelation. His hand reached out to touch her knee weakly, but he didn't speak for some time. " _Who_ has decided this? Surely it wasn't just you. That would be foolish; this world needs its leader."

"The council decided last night that someone must make a trip to the surface world and find a doctor for you."

"I'm _part of the council_. They can't make that decision without my consent." He shouted, his throat aching with the sudden outburst. His free hand rubbed gently at it, but he didn't speak for a long time.

"In your absence," She finally spoke after many minutes of prolonged silence. "As your wife, I am to make that decision for you. Despite how you may feel, while you are unwell, I am your standing replacement on the council."

"You may not come back, Kida. You need a guide – someone familiar with the outside world. You could be taken in by the authorities for being delusional. People up there won't understand what Atlantis is, or what I'm dying of. They'll think that you're crazy." His grip tightened on her knee, he could tell when she winced ever so slightly. He lightened up and moved his hand back to his side. "Kida, I can't lose you… _Atlantis_ can't lose you."

"And what choice do I have, Milo? If you're dying, then what have I got to live for? You did not want children; we've no offspring to concern myself with. My people can survive just _fine_ without me as they have in the past. You are _all_ I have and you cannot expect me to sit here and watch you _die_! You would have done something if it were me!"

Her sudden outburst caused him to flinch. He hadn't expected her to yell. Her raspy voice sounded almost as tortured as his. She had been thinking about this for some time, it was evident in her decision. "Kida…" His grip was tight, but he didn't move his hand this time, even when she flinched away. "…please come back to me. I'll be waiting. I won't pass on until you return."

"Oh, you are so stubborn." Leaning down, she kissed his forehead and reached over for the journal beside his bed. "I will bring this with me so I can find my way home. You should not have cause for concern. My Gods will protect me."

"I hope so, Kida…I really do hope your Gods are as forgiving as you think." Meanwhile, his brain reeled for reasons why he hadn't died yet. And why wasn't the rest of her continent infected? He had prolonged exposure to all of them for well over ten years; they should have shown signs by now. Perhaps the crystal slowed down the process with him, because he had been ill upon entering the city…but for everyone else, it worked as a barrier to protect them? Why was he still alive? _All will be well, Milo Thatch. Do not be concerned._ Darkness; a voice and then darkness.

* * *

Some of you might notice that this is an exact copy of the first chapter for "Come Home To Me"; initially it was meant to be posted as a crossover and I had thought I would be able to switch it later, but it appears I have to re-upload. CHTM will no longer be updated.


	2. Clarity

"General," The voice was strong and feminine, rousing the elder man from his thoughts and silent revere. When she approached, he barely noticed, her presence such commonplace anymore that he hardly took into account that she was in the area. The man was blind, he couldn't very well tell her to go; not when she was the one taking care of him. If nothing else, he wanted to show her a bit of respect; a small semblance of thank you for her caring attitude toward his situation. He waved the woman into his office and offered a small grin. "We've news of a few refugees of Ishval that wish to seek shelter here in Amestris."

"And why would they want to come here? The city is already destroyed, the most I could offer them is protection if Drachma should get a wild hare and start a war with us." He sighed and leaned back in his chair, listening to his subordinate's soft movements throughout the room. She was pacing, he could tell by her footsteps, but he wouldn't ask her why. "You seem a bit tense, Colonel."

"Yes, they say one of these refugees is their goddess. I wonder if this might be a deal like Father Cornello, where there is a false prophet. They refer to her as the _angel of the desert_ , because she has been healing and bringing peace to their country. But she says she's on a mission; she's trying to find someone familiar with Alchemy. The whole prospect threw me for a loop, because if she's their God, then surely she must understand that Alchemy is taboo with Ishvalans."

"It certainly does sound complicated, doesn't it, Hawkeye?" He leaned forward this time, hands forming an arch on his desk, fingertips gently touching. "Have we seen or heard of the woman in question? Have they seen her first hand?"

"They describe her as the prophet known as the _Crystal Guardian_ ; they say that she walked the land many centuries ago, spreading her word and teachings. But then one day, she vanished without a trace. She has no known name in any recorded history, but they speak of her as if she can change the world. Evidently, this woman has the power to heal using a gemstone, her hair is as white as snow, and her eyes are a piercing blue - like that of the ocean. That's just from their lore, that isn't even touching on the fact that this woman is exactly what the literature describes."

"Where is she now? I'd like to meet her." Roy sat up straight, wondering if this woman could possibly heal his eyesight. Maybe she could, but maybe it was all just a trick.

"Right now, she's down in the courtyard talking to one of our medics. You might have remembered him from Ishval - Josiah Sweet? She said she knows him; he seems to be familiar with her. She came here looking for him, but he said he can't help her." A pause, a deep breath and a moment of thought. "General, what if she can help you regain your eyesight without the use of a philosopher's stone?"

"Bring her in, I'd like to question her. Bring Josiah with you. We have much to talk about. I'd like to talk to Josiah first - alone. Keep her busy, Hawkeye."

* * *

Several moments later, Roy found himself sitting in the middle of a large room, directly across from Josiah Sweet - a medic that had fought in the Ishvalan war. Roy could barely remember what the man looked like; dark skin and brown eyes? It had been over two decades, the fact that he remembered a name was enough to startle him. "Corporal Sweet, was it?"

"Yes, sir. We met back in Ishval during the war. Remember, I was the one who bandaged up your chest; and you gave me this long story about some guy named Heathcliff and what he'd done to you? I also recall you lecturing me about how you would change the world." The older black man folded his arms and leaned back in the chair, dropping the formalities. "You probably wouldn't recognize me by my voice, I don't talk much. Figured a memory would stir up those emotions of yours."

"Heh, guess it worked. It's been awhile since I've seen you around, where did you head off to?" Roy inquired, listening for anything out of the ordinary.

"I was contacted by Preston J. Whitmore about an expedition into the south. You know how I am; couldn't turn that down if I wanted to. Found quite a bit there that I wasn't expecting to see. The people there are so kind." Suddenly he realized that Kida's appearance and Roy's sudden visit correlated and he looked at his hands. "You're here about the lady in the courtyard, aren't you? Wondering what I know about some goddess?"

Roy gave a slight cant of the head, indicating that was what he was asking about. He had learned in the last six years to follow the voices talking to him. When he heard the scraping of a chair, he knew that he'd angered the man. "Corporal, I mean no harm to come to her. I cannot offer her protection or refuge without knowing first what she is. You seem to be familiar with her, shed some light on this situation."

Josiah shook his head. "I promised a long time ago not to mention what happened down there. It could kill her entire race. General, you don't understand how precarious her situation is; there's so many factors involved here that you only see one side of it. There's so much more to it than just a goddess. She is who she says she is, I can assure you of that. But her situation is far more perilous than just seeking refuge."

"Whatever you tell me will stay between us, I assure you. And if you can't trust me, who can you trust? You trusted me to save your life in Ishval while you were mending that wounded soldier, and I can't imagine why you wouldn't trust me now, after all I've seen in this world. I can keep a secret, but I need you to trust me." Roy stood to his feet, hands still resting gently on the tabletop. "Please, Josiah. I want to help her but I need to verify she isn't a threat to us."

"Why do you not ask me yourself?" The voice was quiet, yet firm. She was standing in the doorway, hand resting weakly against the jamb of the door. She watched Roy and shook her head. "So many people whisper and think they know me, but they do not. It is quite the tragedy that no one will ask me themselves what they think I am. Am I a Goddess? Am I to be praised? Hardly. You must be General Mustang; I have heard about you. They say you are the leader of the free world and that you are familiar with Alchemy. Please, have a seat, let us discuss."

Roy hesitantly seated himself back in the chair, looking toward the source of the sound. "You must be the one they refer to as the Crystal Guardian."

"Kidagakash, if you will. I prefer my given name. While it may be true that I am part of the Crystal Guardian, I am not the same entity. She is her own entity." The woman casually brushed her hair over her shoulder and watched Josiah by the window. Riza had filtered in at some point and took up post by the door. "It is true that I am not of this world, but you do not need to fear me. My power is not quite as strong as Alchemy is."

"A Goddess of Ishval must surely know the repercussions of Alchemy's uses." Roy commented, trying to get a good read on her. While he was studying her voice, Riza was studying her body language. "Unless, of course, you aren't a Goddess of Ishval?"

She was quiet for a long time, but didn't answer. Instead she waited for him to continue. Sweet paced back and forth by the window, hand resting on the crystal she had given him many years ago. "I am not a Goddess of Ishval."

"Sweet says you are who you say you are, which means if you claim the title of Kidagakash, you must certainly be her." Roy continued. "Tell me about your crystals."

"My culture has not devolved to lying or trickery. I would not intentionally mislead you, Leader of the Free World." She looked down at the crystal ebbing gently below her garments; given to her by Sweet so she could blend in just a bit better. "My crystal works much like your Philosopher's Stone."

"It can bring back the dead." Roy stated casually, hoping she would correct him if she was aware of Alchemy.

" _My crystal_ can, your stone cannot. We are not on the same laws and bylaws you are. Alchemy was derived from our magic, and while it follows the same basic principle, it is certainly not the same. Our magic is limited in application, but it also does not require a sacrifice to be used. Alchemy is a bastardization of the Crystal Guardian's work. I do believe Milo once told me Alkahestry is far more compliant with our culture than anything else." She folded her arms and leaned forward, studying Roy's gaze. "You are blind, like my father."

"I paid the price for using that bastardization of Alchemy my whole life." He looked over at her, hearing her shift slightly in the chair. "Some things are meant to stay a secret; I think you know that better than anyone, don't you?"

She rose from her chair and looked to the blonde in the corner. "The stone you showed me, may I see it?"

Reluctantly, Riza retrieved the Philosopher's Stone from a locked box in Roy's desk and sat it on the table in front of Roy. He could quickly snatch it if need be, but she wasn't sure what the woman was planning, and that frightened her. "May I ask what you need it for?" Riza inquired.

Kida gave a small smile and took the tiny vial into her hands, tapping the glass gently. She swished it this way and that, watching the red floating within the enclosure. "I wish to show you I am not a threat."

"By taking our only philosopher's stone…." Roy questioned.

"...this stone was created using the lives of those who did not make it to safety within our final hours. I can hear the souls of my people calling to me, wishing to be released. They want to be used a final time, in a way that would make them regain peace." She paused and set the glass vial on the table again. "Have you any chalk?"

Riza nodded and retrieved some from the board outside the room, handing it to the woman in question. Kida quickly went to work drawing on the floor. "Milo has shown me how to do healing alchemy, it is not very difficult. Most alchemists would have to sacrifice something in return, but our magic works differently. I can use your stone without repercussions. General Mustang, stand here, in the middle."

Hesitantly, Riza guided him to the place in question, reading the latin on the transmutation. It was an older dialect, written in a rudamentary form she didn't recognize. Still, there were a few words here and there that she understood. Easing her fears a bit, she positioned Roy in the middle of the circle. "General, I-"

"He'll be okay," Sweet finally commented from the window. "Trust me, this woman knows what she's doing. If anyone can save a life, it's her. Go ahead, Kida."

The snowflake haired woman gave a nod and set the Philosopher's stone within the circle in the correct place, then moved to touch a hand to her crystal. Only a few moments passed, the whole room engulfed with a bright blue light. Lighting sparks filled the room, bouncing off everything, landing finally within the circle. Roy was still unsure of what was happening, but Riza's shocked gasp was enough to tell him it was _different_. Kida's crystal glowed a bright white color, finally ebbing back to the normal faint blue. She released her hand from the circle and started shaking.

"You have quite possibly the whitest hair I have ever seen in my entire life," Roy commented when he finally opened his eyes. "I didn't even know that was natural in the world."

"General!" Riza shouted, crossing over the circle to touch his shoulders, brush his coat, and generally touch for different injuries. "You can see me?"

"Don't look so worried, Hawkeye." He smiled and gently caught her hand in his own, holding it close to his chest. "I'm alive, and I feel better than ever. How did you do that, miss Kidagakash?"

"I told you, our laws are quite different than yours. Ours is the base that Alchemy was created on; the missing element from your books because we could not very well tell people who we were when prophets were sent to the surface world. It had to remain a secret. You told me you could be trusted, and I have put a very great amount of trust in you. Now, I require a favor from you." She looked down at her hands, at the simple silver band that adorned her ring finger; a stupid tradition from his world that Milo insisted on keeping. "Someone I love is dying."

"Why can't you do what you did for me to save them?" Roy questioned, looking at her. He released Riza's hand and knelt beside her. "It should be easy with that kind of power and knowledge."

Kida shook her head, carefully choosing her words. "My husband has spent a great amount of time studying dead languages, and he cannot quite put together an array that could save him. See, our crystals are meant to preserve life; but they can only heal what they have been exposed to. Because he is ill of a new disease, one that may eradicate my entire way of life, it cannot help him. So I have been sent to find one named Alphonse Elric - they say that he is a healer and a prophet - a user of Alkahestry."

"If you've been gone for so long, how did you know of Alphonse?" Roy questioned.

She smiled softly. "Milo told me that the books he had read predicted a prophet among the surface world, one with great healing power and the ability to use all three types of magic. Combined, they can heal him, but alone - they are problematic to deal with. You must combine all three of the types of magic before anything can be done. Please, he is my husband, my ruler, my life. I cannot bear to lose him so soon."

"General, I think we should help her. After all, she's given you quite the gift. Even Marcoh couldn't manage to do that, and to top it off, your stone was used for the right reasons." Riza paused and looked down at the circle. "...where did the stone go?"

"It was absorbed into the crystal, which will then be used to feed the lives of my people. They will get another chance at life, and that will be the blessing. This is why it was so important to have the key element before using a stone. Otherwise, the souls reject you and you get a negative output." She looked down. "I fear Milo does not have much time left; please…"

* * *

For the first time in _forever_ , I have all of this actually plotted in advance.


End file.
